Russian is a multifaceted powerful language, where one, two, three, and sometimes even four different meanings occur. At the word "alt", each person has his own specific images in his head. You should know whether they correspond to the actual definition of the word. Therefore, in this article we will analyze two questions: "What is alt and what is its significance?"
The first and main meaning of the word
Despite several meanings, they all have one common line - musicality.
The first and perhaps the main meaning of "viola" is:
- a musical instrument of string-bow type, which is similar to the same device as the violin.
However, viola has a number of differences:
- The size is more voluminous.
- Sounds in low case.
- The strings are tuned a fifth lower than the strings of a violin.
- Notes for viola are most often written in the key corresponding to it, less often in the violin.
Interesting fact: viola is the oldest of all bowed instruments currently existing. The moment of his birth falls on the border of the XV ― XVI centuries. The earliest and best examples belong to the development of the great master of Italy - Stradivarius.
Like the violin, the viola has four strings located a quint below:
- the note up is responsible for the first string;
- for the second - salt;
- the third one is re;
- completes a series of note la.
Initially, the strings were made using animal veins, but at present they can also consist of steel, on which a metal coating is applied.
The progenitor of viola is the viola for the hand, or in other words, the viola da braccio. Like the current alt, its ancestor rested on his left shoulder.
Unlike the violin, the timbre of the instrument is more deaf, velvet, soft and very expressive from this.
Unfortunately, until now, the alt has been used very rarely as a solo artist. Prior to that, he served as the filling of middle voices in quartets and symphony orchestras between the parts of the violin and cello.
Traditionally, from childhood, they did not learn to play this instrument. Such performers became already in adulthood, moving from violin to viola (for example, when entering schools, schools or conservatories).
Musical geniuses Mozart, Paganini and Oistrakh could combine playing on both instruments.
At present, there are talented instrumental violists: Yuri Kramarov, Kim Kashkashyan, Yuri Bashmet, Gerard Cosse, Vladimir Bakaleinikov, Rudolf Barshai, Tabaa Zimmerman and others.
What is alt: value at number 2
As it turned out, the word "alt" has musical origins, because the second definition will also be associated with art.
Alt is the second highest human vocal voice, if you do not take into account the soprano and its subspecies (color, lyrical, dramatic).
Alt has either low female voices or high male ones. Almost synonyms for viola in music are:
- contralto - female;
- tenor altino - male.
Contralto is a very rare voice, but its timbre cannot be confused with anything: velvet, matte, rich and rich.
The best viola vocalists in history:
- Eva Undergrowth;
- Kathleen Ferrier
- Isabella St. George;
- Elizaveta Antonova;
- Sigrid Onegin and many other talented both opera and pop singers.
What is alt: third term
Another meaning already refers to the composition of ensembles and the choir.
- Viola is a part in a vocal group (duet, trio, quartet, quintet and so on) that is performed by low children's or female (mezzo-soprano, contralto) voices.
Since the end of the 18th century in Italy and France, the female solo part has received a different name - mezzo-soprano, in the choirs themselves the word and meaning of the viola remains the same.
This part, like an individual voice, is characterized, first of all, by a dense and fundamental timbre. Despite the fact that most often the alto part takes the middle place in the four-voice warehouse and performs the function of harmonious enrichment, it is also given solo fragments or even full numbers.
Low female voices are great and very much appreciated in Russian folk vocal creativity - folklore.
Where else is applied
The meaning of the word "alt" also applies to a variety of wind instruments - flugelhorn or althorn, as well as saxhorn, bassethorn, English horn and trombone.
Another string instrument to which the word "alt" can be applied is domra. She acquired a modern look at the end of the 19th century, when Vasily Andreev reconstructed the Vyatka balalaika. Based on the last instrument, the masters Pasersky, Fomin, Karkin and Nalimov decided to create a family of orchestral domras that are part of the Great Russian Orchestra named after Andreev.
Total
Based on the terms described above, when studying the question: “What is alt?”, One could notice that there is no definite answer. The rich Russian language really makes you wonder which of the meanings a person wants to know about. However, all terms connect two common features: belonging to music and low timbre of sound.